Deer Resistant Plants
Plants in this list should be chosen where deer damage to ornamentals is severe. These plants are less likely to be damaged than other plants. Few, if any, plants are totally resistant. If deer populations are high, if deer become overly tame or if food is scarce, deer are likely to feed on any ornamental plants. Deer prefer fertilized plants to unfertilized ones.
During dry weather, deer are more likely to eat plants which have been irrigated.
The following list includes plants that deer normally don't like. Those marked with an asterisk (*) are particularly resistant. Some of these plants are poisonous to people or livestock. The degree of resistance may vary with the season or age of the plant.
SHRUBS AND TREES
Botanical Name Common Name
All Palms
Abies spp. <> Fir
Acer rubrum <> Red Maple
Aesculus parviflora <> Bottle Brush Buckeye
Ajuga spp. <> Bugle Weed
Albizia spp. <> Mimosa
Aspidistra elatior <> Aspidistra
Berberis spp. <> Barberry
Betula nigra <> River Birch
Buddleia davidii* <> Butterfly Bush
Calocedrus decurrens <> Incense Cedar
Cedrus spp. <> Cedar
Cephalotaxus spp. <> Plum-Yew
Cercis canadensis <> Redbud
Cotinus coggygris* <> Smoke tree
Cornus florida <> Dogwood
Cotoneaster spp. <> Cotoneaster
Crataegu spp. <> Hawthorn
Cupressus spp. <> Cypress
Cupressocyparis leylandi <> Leyland Cypress
Cycas spp. <> Cycad
Cyrtomiun falcatum <> Holly Fern
Cytisus scoparius* <> Scotch broom
Daphne spp. <> Daphne
Diospyros virginiana <> Persimmon
Eleagnus pungens <> Eleagnus
Eucalyptus spp. <> Eucalptus, Gum
Ficus spp.* <> Fig
Forythia x intermedia <> Forsythia
Gardenia spp.' <> Gardenia
Ginkgo biloba <> Maidenhair tree
Ilex spp. (except thornless) <> Holly
Ilex cornuta `Rotunda' <> Rotunda Holly
Ilex opaca <> American Holly
Ilex vomitoria <> Yaupon Holly
Illicium anisatum <> Anise
Juniperus spp.* <> Juniper
Kerria japonica* <> Kerria
Lagerstroemia indica <> Crape Myrtle
Gordonia lasianthus <> Gordonia
Leucothoe spp. <> Leucothoe
Ligustrum lucidum <> Ligustrum
Maclura pomifera <> Osage orange
Magnolia spp. <> Magnolia
Mahonia spp.* <> Mahonia
Michelia fuscata <> Banana Shrub
Myrica cerifera <> Wax Myrtle
Nandina domestica* <> Nandina
Nerium oleander* <> Oleander
Parkinsonia aculeata <> Jerusalem Thorn
Paulownia tomentosa <> Empress Tree
Picea spp. <> Spruce
Pinus spp. <> Pine
Pittosporum spp. <> Pittosporum
Podocarpus macrophylus <> Podocarpus
Prunus caroliniana* <> Cherry Laurel
Pyracantha spp. <> Pyracantha
Rhododendron spp.* <> except azalea leaved varieties
Rhododendron Indicum <> Formosa Azelea
Robinia pseudoacacia <> Black locust
Rosmarinus officinalis <> Rosemary
Syringa vulgaris <> Lilac
Taxodium distichum <> Bald Cypress
Thuja spp. <> Arborvitae
Trachycarpus fortunei <> Windmill palm
Viburnum spp. <> Viburnum
Yucca spp. <> Yucca
GROUNDCOVERS, VINES AND FLOWERS
Agaganthus africanus <> Blue lily
Aloe spp. <> Aloe
Althaea rosea <> Hollyhock
Aquilegia spp. <> Columbine
Cactaceae spp. <> Cactus
Calendula offincinalis* <> Pot marigold
Centaurea spp. <> Cornflower
Chrysanthemum spp.* <> Mum
Clematis spp. <> Clematis
Delphinium spp. <> Larkspur
Dicentra pectabilis <> Bleeding heart
Digitalis spp. <> Foxglove
Eschscholzia californica <> California poppy
Gerbera spp.* <> Transvaal daisy
Hedera spp. <> Some Ivies
Helianthus spp. <> Sunflower
Helleborus spp.* <> Lenten Rose
Iris spp. <> Iris
Jasminum spp.* <> Jasmine
Lantana montevidensis <> Lantana
Lavandula spp. <> Lavender
Lobelia laxiflora <> Lobelia
Lupinus spp.* <> Lupine
Myosotis spp. <> Forget-me-not
Narcissus spp.* <> Narcissus, Daffodil, Jonquil
Tradescantia spp. <> Spiderwort
Tulipa <> Tulip
This list was prepared from California Extension Leaflet 2167, "Deer-Resistant Plants for Ornamental Use" by Maynard Cummings, Marston Kimball, and William Longhurst. These were combined with recommendations from Jan Vanden Bulck, Gerald Smith and Jeff Jackson, Extension Wildlife Specialist.
Submitted by: Walter Reeves
College of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences
(Former County Extension Agent - DeKalb County, GA)
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